Monday, May 3, 2010
Canadian Marketing Blog - Canadian Marketing Association: Canadian Social Values: Dominant Themes in Canadian Culture – Part Three
Defining Value #3
“One difference between Americans and Canadians is that Americans are still waiting to win the lottery. Canadians live as if they have already won the lottery.” Michael Adams, Fire and Ice, 2003.
20% of Canadians cite Quality of Life as top source of pride in being Canadian. (Macleans Canada Day Survey 2006). Quality of Life is one of Canadians’ key defining values.
Quality of life, simply put, refers to how good life is. People throughout the centuries, and in various parts of the world, have defined quality in their lives in rather distinct ways.
Among developed countries, certain variables are consistent in defining quality of life – life expectancy, purchasing power, literacy and education, housing, employment, finances. Against these variables, in study after study, Canada has always landed in the top ranks. For example, in the 2009 Mercer Consulting annual Quality of Living Survey among 215 cities, Vancouver ranked 4th and Toronto ranked 15th. In all of the Americas, Canadian cities of Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary dominated the top spots.
Where does this come from?
• Canada is endowed with nature’s majesty, in lakes, mountains, fields in our backyard. Our physical closeness to nature likely inspires a more mellow approach to life and living.
• Since after the Great Depression, Canada instituted policies that would ensure that its people maintained certain standards of living - pensions, health care, protection from unemployment and other social support. Having a secure safety net gives people a certain reassurance that no matter what goes wrong, all will be well; in general, people have less to be anxious and stressed about. Unencumbered, people pursue a certain way of living that is more attuned to relationships, connections, rather than simply getting ahead in a rat race.
Points of Evidence
Macleans annual Canada Day poll offers up interesting proof points about Canadians’ distinct version of quality of life.
For Canadians, there is more to life than work: Canadians place A REWARDING CAREER behind Freedom; Family Life; Being Loved and Being Canadian on their list of things that they value the most. (Macleans Canada Day Poll 2006)
Asked which activities they enjoy most, Canadians cite: A nice meal with my partner; Having a few hours for myself. (Macleans Canada Day Poll 2006)
Canadians believe that Experiences, not Things, make one happy. When asked, what is the best thing that happened to you in the past year, milestones such as weddings, births, pregnancies, vacations, graduations rose to the top of the lists. Moving into a new house or getting a new car sat at the bottom of the list of best things. (Macleans Canada Day Poll 2006)
Canadians don’t care for keeping up with the Joneses. 29% of Canadians say it’s important that people admire the things they own, compared with 36% of Americans. (Fire and Ice, Michael Adams)
Marketing Reference
Lululemon
The brand believes in keeping healthy, exercising, and drinking eight glasses of water a day. They’re not just getting people to buy their clothes, but to embrace the lifestyle they promote. And that lifestyle, outlined in their manifesto, includes beliefs like, “Friends are more important than money.” Their mission: Lululemon athletic creates components for people to live longer, healthier and more fun lives. If we can produce products to keep people active and stress-free, we believe the world will become a much better place. Lululemon has successfully tapped into a Canadians’ unique view of what a good life looks like.
Molsons’ Made From Canada
The Made From Canada spot pays homage to Canadas’s natural beauty, and the uniquely Canadian impulse to enjoy it as much as we can. Copy: Fact is, its this land that shapes us. We know we have the best backyard in the world and we get out there every chance we get.
Lee Chapman, Strategic Planner, MacLaren
Canadian Marketing Blog - Canadian Marketing Association
“One difference between Americans and Canadians is that Americans are still waiting to win the lottery. Canadians live as if they have already won the lottery.” Michael Adams, Fire and Ice, 2003.
20% of Canadians cite Quality of Life as top source of pride in being Canadian. (Macleans Canada Day Survey 2006). Quality of Life is one of Canadians’ key defining values.
Quality of life, simply put, refers to how good life is. People throughout the centuries, and in various parts of the world, have defined quality in their lives in rather distinct ways.
Among developed countries, certain variables are consistent in defining quality of life – life expectancy, purchasing power, literacy and education, housing, employment, finances. Against these variables, in study after study, Canada has always landed in the top ranks. For example, in the 2009 Mercer Consulting annual Quality of Living Survey among 215 cities, Vancouver ranked 4th and Toronto ranked 15th. In all of the Americas, Canadian cities of Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary dominated the top spots.
Where does this come from?
• Canada is endowed with nature’s majesty, in lakes, mountains, fields in our backyard. Our physical closeness to nature likely inspires a more mellow approach to life and living.
• Since after the Great Depression, Canada instituted policies that would ensure that its people maintained certain standards of living - pensions, health care, protection from unemployment and other social support. Having a secure safety net gives people a certain reassurance that no matter what goes wrong, all will be well; in general, people have less to be anxious and stressed about. Unencumbered, people pursue a certain way of living that is more attuned to relationships, connections, rather than simply getting ahead in a rat race.
Points of Evidence
Macleans annual Canada Day poll offers up interesting proof points about Canadians’ distinct version of quality of life.
For Canadians, there is more to life than work: Canadians place A REWARDING CAREER behind Freedom; Family Life; Being Loved and Being Canadian on their list of things that they value the most. (Macleans Canada Day Poll 2006)
Asked which activities they enjoy most, Canadians cite: A nice meal with my partner; Having a few hours for myself. (Macleans Canada Day Poll 2006)
Canadians believe that Experiences, not Things, make one happy. When asked, what is the best thing that happened to you in the past year, milestones such as weddings, births, pregnancies, vacations, graduations rose to the top of the lists. Moving into a new house or getting a new car sat at the bottom of the list of best things. (Macleans Canada Day Poll 2006)
Canadians don’t care for keeping up with the Joneses. 29% of Canadians say it’s important that people admire the things they own, compared with 36% of Americans. (Fire and Ice, Michael Adams)
Marketing Reference
Lululemon
The brand believes in keeping healthy, exercising, and drinking eight glasses of water a day. They’re not just getting people to buy their clothes, but to embrace the lifestyle they promote. And that lifestyle, outlined in their manifesto, includes beliefs like, “Friends are more important than money.” Their mission: Lululemon athletic creates components for people to live longer, healthier and more fun lives. If we can produce products to keep people active and stress-free, we believe the world will become a much better place. Lululemon has successfully tapped into a Canadians’ unique view of what a good life looks like.
Molsons’ Made From Canada
The Made From Canada spot pays homage to Canadas’s natural beauty, and the uniquely Canadian impulse to enjoy it as much as we can. Copy: Fact is, its this land that shapes us. We know we have the best backyard in the world and we get out there every chance we get.
Lee Chapman, Strategic Planner, MacLaren
Canadian Marketing Blog - Canadian Marketing Association
the zig blog: The value of a Facebook “Fan”
Which, for the purpose of this post, means those who “like” a brand on Facebook.
This recent blog post contains a number of interesting points, one of the first being that the average ratio of fans to wall posts is 1:1. “Not all brands have a 1:1 Fan to wall impression ratio; some were higher and some were lower. The brands that did tend to have higher ratios tended to do a better job of posting relevant content, actively engaging Fans and customers, and also used rich media. “
The other bit is that this doesn’t really seem to take into account the possible extra impressions due to people engaging with the post: “But that’s not all. Facebook wall posts have social engagement such as clicks, comments, likes, plays and shares. Wall Apps such as a coupon or a poll offer even greater levels of engagement. Brands engaging their Fans stand to earn much more value, potentially doubling or tripling these estimates.”
So what they are positing is just an average baseline. Your ratio should be higher the more engaging and relevant your Facebook communications are. One could draw further valuation by averaging the engagement per type of post. For example, on average X Company’s post gets this many comments, generating this many extra impressions per post.
And the actual dollar value of a Facebook Fan? US$3.60/fan for the moment. I’d love to see Molson Canadian’s hugely successful Gear Up for Gold numbers compared to this valuation...the zig blog
This recent blog post contains a number of interesting points, one of the first being that the average ratio of fans to wall posts is 1:1. “Not all brands have a 1:1 Fan to wall impression ratio; some were higher and some were lower. The brands that did tend to have higher ratios tended to do a better job of posting relevant content, actively engaging Fans and customers, and also used rich media. “
The other bit is that this doesn’t really seem to take into account the possible extra impressions due to people engaging with the post: “But that’s not all. Facebook wall posts have social engagement such as clicks, comments, likes, plays and shares. Wall Apps such as a coupon or a poll offer even greater levels of engagement. Brands engaging their Fans stand to earn much more value, potentially doubling or tripling these estimates.”
So what they are positing is just an average baseline. Your ratio should be higher the more engaging and relevant your Facebook communications are. One could draw further valuation by averaging the engagement per type of post. For example, on average X Company’s post gets this many comments, generating this many extra impressions per post.
And the actual dollar value of a Facebook Fan? US$3.60/fan for the moment. I’d love to see Molson Canadian’s hugely successful Gear Up for Gold numbers compared to this valuation...the zig blog
Capital C: Simple is Good
I created this wee model for myself and the agency as a very simple framework for reaching the top branches of ideation, while covering off on the low hanging fruit.
The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, then pare them down to 3 distinct concept 'levels'. These would range from feasible (low hanging idea fruit) to stretch (high concept/out there ideas).
Then think laterally from each central idea level. Left is more progressive (think social) and right is more conservative (think business). Give it a shot.
Capital C
The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, then pare them down to 3 distinct concept 'levels'. These would range from feasible (low hanging idea fruit) to stretch (high concept/out there ideas).
Then think laterally from each central idea level. Left is more progressive (think social) and right is more conservative (think business). Give it a shot.
Capital C
Profectio: Nissan Canada Charges Up Automotive Line-Up, Launches Nissan LEAF Website
Nissan Canada recently launched a new consumer website www.nissan.ca/LEAF, which offers Canadians a chance to learn more about their first all-electric car Nissan LEAF. The car is expected to hit the market in the second half of 2011, and will provide information on the upcoming vehichle and updates leading up to its launch.
“The launch of the consumer website is an exciting milestone as we get closer to bringing the Nissan LEAF to the Canadian market next year,” said Mark McDade, Director, Marketing with Nissan Canada. “There has been a lot of interest from Canadians to learn more about electric vehicles and what the ownership experience would be like. This website is a great place to learn more about all aspects of owning and driving the Nissan LEAF.”
The colourful and easy to navigate site features an extensive Q&A on the most prominent topics related to electric vehicles including charging, performance and the environment. Specific details about the Nissan LEAF including features and the driving experience are also highlighted including an extensive library of Nissan LEAF photos. A video element will be added in the next month. Profectio
“The launch of the consumer website is an exciting milestone as we get closer to bringing the Nissan LEAF to the Canadian market next year,” said Mark McDade, Director, Marketing with Nissan Canada. “There has been a lot of interest from Canadians to learn more about electric vehicles and what the ownership experience would be like. This website is a great place to learn more about all aspects of owning and driving the Nissan LEAF.”
The colourful and easy to navigate site features an extensive Q&A on the most prominent topics related to electric vehicles including charging, performance and the environment. Specific details about the Nissan LEAF including features and the driving experience are also highlighted including an extensive library of Nissan LEAF photos. A video element will be added in the next month. Profectio
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